Drawing apparatus



Sept. 1, 1931. R. E. woo|: s

v DRAWING APPARATUS F'iled Feb. 15. 1928 Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES REUBEN E. WOODS, O33 OWATGNNA, MINNESOTA DRAWING APPARATUS Application filed February 15, 1928. Serial No. 254,453.

This invention relates to drawingapparatus and has for its main object to provide comparatively simple but highly eflicient apparatus for facilitating the reproduction 5 upon a sheet of a scene or portrait or for facilitating the transferring or copying of a picture, drawing or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide drawing apparatus of the class above '10 set forth, comprising a. pair of open frames,

each provided with rectangular-1y crossed members defininga plurality of squares in each of said frames, said squares dividing the inclosed area of the frames into relatively small spaces, whereby a drawing or picture positioned beneath one of said frames may be readily transferred to a sheet similarly placed under the other frame without mutilating' the original drawing or picture to obtain a drawing of equal, greater or smaller proportion.

A further object is to provide apparatus of the class described whereby one of said frames may be disposed over a sheet to re- 1 2'5 ceive the drawing and whereby the other squares or spaces defined inthe drawing sheet below said other frame.

Still another object of the invention is to provide drawing apparatus of the type de scribed, wherein frames are provided having 10 a plurality of endless flexible members rectangularly crossed therein to define a plurality of rectangular spaces in the enclosed areas of the frames, said flexible members being elastic to normally be disposed rectilinearly across the open frame and to permit the artist to stretch the same for convenience in continuing lines in the drawing.

Another object is to provide in frames of the class described, means for easily and quickly detaching said flexible elastic members to vary the area of the spaces formed by the intersection of said members, and novel means for causing said frames with said members mounted thereon to frictionally resist displacement against a flat supporting surface such as a sheet of drawing paper.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention set up in operative position forreproducing a landscape scene;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same device positioned in use for transferring or reproducing a drawing or picture on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken through one of the open drawing frames disposed above a sheet of drawing paper, showing the manner in which the endless flexible members are secured to the frame and the manner in which-said members co-operate with the frame to frictionally prevent displacement thereof upon the sheet;

Figd is a fragmentary plan view of the frame shown in Fig. 3, some portions being broken away and others shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the line 55 of Fig. 1, showing the adjustable means for holding one of the frames in a desired upright position; and I Fig. 6 is a cross section taken through the line 66 of Fig. 2, showing the clamping means for securing the sighting member in a desired position.

It will be apparent from the following description that my invention may be constructed in a variety of different forms to meet various requirements. For the purpose of illustration a portable embodiment of the invention especially adapted for the use of drawing students is shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the form illustrated, I provide a pair of open rectangular drawing frames 7 and 8, frame 8 as shown, having its longitudinal sides projecting beyond its lateral sldes and hinged to the end portions of an elongated holding frame H. Said holding frame may comprise a pair of elongated parallel strips or bars 9 connected at their forward extremities by means of a cross piece 10 fitting therebetween and connected adjacent their rear extremities by a cross piece 11 underlying the longitudinal members 9. The rear extremities of members 9 project slightly beyond member 11 and are provided with transverse apertures adapted to be alined with apertures of similar bore in the projecting longitudinal sides of frame 8 through which clamping bolts 12 may pass, hingedly connecting frame 8 with the elongated members 9 and winged nuts 12a may be provided having threaded engagement with the outwardly projecting ends of bolts 12 to clamp the hinged parts together. I may also provide the projecting portion of one longitudinal member of frame 8 with a relatively short bracing member 13 having hinged relation at its upper end with said frame and having an outturned portion of its lower end adapted to be seated in suitable grooves or detents 9a provided in one of the longitudinal members 9. The longitudinal sides of frame 8 are each provided with a series of equally spaced transverse slots or grooves 14 formed on the under surface of. the frame, the slots or grooves in one side piece being oppositely alined with the slots or grooves in the other longitudinal side. The end pieces or lateral sides of the frame are likewise provided with oppositely alined slots or grooves 14. As shown in Fig. 3, grooves 14 are inclined or curved relatively to the faces of frame 8, being deeper adjacent the outer periphery of the frame and being sufficiently shallow adjacent the inner periphery of the frame to permit the endless elastic bands to project slightly below the underface of the frame in contact with a sheet of paper or other drawing material disposed therebelow. If desired, I may provide the edges of frame 8, that is, the outward edges of the several side pieces, with longitudinally disposed grooves 15 intersecting grooves 14 at right angles thereto and forming notches in the portions of the frame between any pair of said grooves.

To divide frame 8 into a plurality of squares I prefer to stretch endless flexible members, such as elastic bands 16 across the r frame, one series of said elastic bands eX- tending parallel to the longitudinal side pieces and the other series extending parallel to the lateral sides; The ends of bands 16 are seated in the corresponding grooves 14 of two opposite sides of the frame binding against the notched portions formed by the grooves 15. The bands are so disposed that the lines defined thereby across the open frame will be equally spaced.

Frame 7 is constructed substantially in the manner of frame 8 having its under surface provided with the two series of oppositely disposed grooves 14 and its outer edges provided with the longitudinal grooves 15 intersecting the transverse grooves and elastic endless members or bands 16 are stretched across frame 7 rectangularly dividing the space within the frame and projecting slightly below the under face of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3 to frictionally engage a sheet of drawing material disposed therebelow. Frame 7 as illustrated, is of substantially rectangular shape adapted to be inset in the holding frame H and having mounted on two oppositely disposed sides flanges or overlapping longitudinal members 7 a adapted to be supported on the upper surface of the longitudinal members 9 of the holding frame. The longitudinal sides 9 of the holding frame may he provided with oppositely disposed pairs of detents 90 adapted to seat outwardly projecting pins 7?) carried at two opposite edges of frame 7, said several pairs of detents 9a being so arranged that frame 7 may be seated in several different positions, the positions being spaced apart a distance equal to the length of frame 7. Frames 7 and 8 are of such length that they will occupy the space within holding frame H when frame 7 is disposed at extreme postion at one end of said holding frame and when frame 8 is swung within the longitudinal sides of the holding frame, as shown in Fig. 2. To releasably secure the frames in the compact portable position described, I may provide a spring latch or detent 17 carried by one of the edges of either frame 7 or 8 and adapted to overlap the other frame when frame 8 is swung downwardly. I may also provide a pin 18 extending transversely through one of the longitudinal members 9 of the holding frame adapted to engage one of the grooves 15 of frame 7 when pressed inwardly.

An adjustable sighting mechanism is provided in connection with the structure previously described and as shown comprises an elongated longitudinally slotted piece 19 having its lower end pivoted and clamped to one of the longitudinal members 9 of the holding frame and having adjustably secured to its slotted portion a second elongated slotted member 20, member 20 carrying at one end thereof an adjustable sighting member 21. Sighting member 21 may, of course, be of any desired form and as shown comprises a plate or sheet of suflicient length to extend across both eyes of the artist or student and having a notch 21a in the lower edge thereof adapted to accommodate the bridge of the artists nose and having an aperture 216 adjacent one end thereof through which a scene or object may be viewed. The end of plate 21 opposite aperture 21?) rigidly carries a pin 22 longitudinally alined with plate 21, said pin being pivoted in one end of the slot-ted member 20 and being clamped thereto by any suitable clamping element, such as the winged nut 22a. An adjustable clamping device is provided intermediate of slotted members 19 and 20 and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 comprises a threaded pin or bolt 23 rigidly carrying a centrally disposed disc or washer 23a, said washer being disposed between members 19 and 20 and the ends of pin 23 passing through the slotted portions of members 19 and 20 respectively, the two extremities of said pin being provided with clamping means, such as the winged nuts 24. It will be apparent that a wide range of adjustability is secured by the structure of the sighting mechanism above described, since members 19 and 20 when winged nuts 24: are released may be disposed in various relations to each other and since the lower end of mem ber 19 is adjust-ably clamped to a suitable pin 96 carried by one of the longitudinal members 9 of the holding frame.

The uses and functions of my device may be briefly described as follows In Fig. 1 the device is shown set up for reproducing a landscape scene. Here frame 8 is swung to a desired upright position and secured therein by means of the winged nuts or other clamping means associated with the hinge pivots and also by means of the brace 13. The holding frame may then be placed upon a drawing board B with the transverse underlying piece 11 abutting the straight edge of said board and with the longitudinal members 9 overlying a drawing sheet S suitably affixed to board B. Adjustable frame 7 may then be disposed in the appropriate position above sheet S and fixed therein by means of the engagement between the pin 7 b and appropriate detents 90. The sighting mechanism is next adjusted by loosening the winged nuts on pins 23 and 96 until the sighting plate 21 is positioned the proper height with regard to the holding frame, and the proper distance from upright frame 8 to permit the scene desired to be viewed through the rectangularly divided open portion of frame 8. In other words, the picture to be drawn is focused in much the same manner as a photographer positions his camera by means of the finder attached thereto. It will be noticed that plate 21 may be operated on pin 22 to give a greater adjustment and to dispose the plate comfortably with respect to the face of the student or artist. The student or artist may then view the scene with his right eye, the left eye being covered by the imperforate left hand portion of plate 21 and the notched portion 21a and aperture 21?) precisely fixing the bridge of the nose and the right eye. In this way the features of the scene will be viewed through certain of the rectangular spaces defined by the elastic bands 16 in frame 8 and the artist may easily and correctly reproduce on the drawing sheet sheet.

S the lines and features in the corresponding rectangular spaces defined by the elastic members in frame 7. In some cases it is desirable to dispose the holding frame some distance from the sheet S in order that the scene to be reproduced may all be viewedthrough the openportion of frame 8. 111 this case frame 7 may be easily liftedfrom the holding frame and loosely disposed above the The frictional engagement of the elastic flexible members 16 with the surface of the sheet S will prevent frame 7 from'sliding on the sheet or being displaced.

My apparatus described is-equally capable of usefor transferring, enlarging or reproducing a drawing from a picture, photograph or the like and where the original to be transferred is detachable and capable of being pinned toa drawing board, as shown in Fig. 2, the device'may be collapsed in portable position and one of the frames disposed over the original and the other of said frames disposed above the drawing sheet S. As shown .in Fig. 2, the original drawing or picture I is enlarged, in which case additional 1:

elastic members have been applied to frame 8 to divide the space therewithin into twice the number of squares defined in frame 8. In Fig." 1, the linesand features of the original are thentransferred to the sheet S in the corresponding rectangular. spaces defined by the elastic bands 16. It will be apparent that the device may be used in like manner to reduceor transfer a drawing in thesame scale,

if desired,depending upon the arrangement of the elastic flexible members on the respective frames 7 andS. Oftentimes, in transferring-or reproducing pictures and drawings itis desirable to detach either or both of the frames 7 and 8 from the'holding frame. Frame7 may, of course, be easily lifted from the longitudinal members 9 of the holding frame and frame 8 may be quickly detached by disengaging the. winged nuts connected with the pivots and withdrawing the pivots from engagement with the longitudinal members 9. The frames may then be laid above the original and the drawing sheet, regardless of the positions of said sheets and the frames are preferably disposed with the elastic bands frictionally engaging thesheets as shown in Fig. 3.

It is apparent that by using endless elastic members the lines defined across the open portions of the frames are always maintained rectilinearly without requiring tensioning devices and moreover may be stretched for continuing lines from one space to another upon the drawing sheet.

This, of course, greatly increases the accuracy and speed of the artist in reproducing a scene or object or in transferring a picture or drawing. The endless elastic bands may be quickly attached or detached to vary the size of the rectangular spaces defined by their intersection and if desired certain 'of the bands may be colored to more readily enable the artist to quickly ascertain the correct space for the insertion of certain lines.

.lVhile I have illustrated a pair of drawing frames it will, of course, be apparent that one frame may be used to View the scene or objectthrough and that the drawing sheet itself may be divided into corresponding zones or rectangular spaces by pencilling lightly thereon intersecting lines. i

From the foregoing description it will be seen that Ihave provided a highly eificient and improved drawing apparatus capable of being used to either reproduce a scene or object in real life or to transfer pictures, drawings and the like. The apparatus while of great value to artists in correctly transferring the main structural features or lines is especially adapted for the use of drawing students to instruct them in proportion, accuracy and perspective.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In drawing apparatus, a base including a pair of parallel guides, an open frame slidably disposed between said guides, means dividing the space within said frame into a plurality of transparent zones, a second frame provided with means dividing the space therewithin into a plurality of transparent zones, means for supporting said last mentioned frame in a plurality of different angular positions with respect to said base, said second frame being connected with said base to be positioned between said guides in a plane substantially coincident with said first mentioned frame.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

REUBEN E. woons. 

